The Endless Fields Called Sky
by LovingNinja
Summary: The Serenity crew continues their journey: harboring fugitives and just trying to make a business for themselves while not starving. But, just how far can their travels go? MalcomXInara HobanXZoe KayleeXSimon JayneXOC Crew-centric. Rated M for mature situations throughout the story.


**Hello! This is my very first Firefly fan fiction and I hope it will serve you well! I own nothing and no one except for the character Vamira Evim. Please Read and Review, and PLEASE help in calling me out if you think any characters are being out of character!**

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Captain Malcom Reynolds was on the verge of begging for a single morning where he didn't have to worry about how his crew was going get paid, let alone eat. It seemed that no matter how many jobs they were taking on, they were always running into trouble that somehow they were losing the entire amount promised, or even just a percentage. They couldn't afford it. Struggle after struggle, and even when they were able to manage with their funds, it was only ever for a short amount of time; a week or so, not even a month.

Stepping up and out of his room, Mal finished his attire by slipping his suspenders over his shoulders. He sighed as he looked around to see if any of the crew were around; not a one. He shook his head and made his way to the brain of his ship.

"What's our status, Wash?" he inquired as he stepped into the cockpit, ignoring the sounds of scrambling as Hoban Washburne set aside his dinosaurs.

"Oh, Captain!" the red-tinted blonde chuckled as he fiddled at his buttons. He glanced over his shoulder before looking through the glass ahead of him. "We'll be landing in Persephone shortly. No worries at all."

"I should hope so," Malcom hummed, hands on his hips as he glanced at the planet they were approaching. "Kaylee is gonna stay with the ship along with the doctor and that sister of his. I want you and the shepherd to take a look around for any one in need of a ride out of here."

"And, you're gonna find us a quick 'n easy job, Sir?"

Stepping back, eyes trained on the sky, Mal slowly exited the room, his voice carrying as his last words for the moment were, "One can try, Wash."

The descent was slow, a bit rocky but mostly smooth. Once docked, the Serenity crew made their way to the loading bay, and once gathered, the doors to walk upon Persephone opened.

"All right," Mal started, adjusting his brown coat with a single tug of both hands at the lapel. "We all have our jobs. Get to 'em. We meet back in an hour. Not a second more."

"Hey," Wash whispered as he wrapped an arm around his wife's, Zoë's, waist, hand cradling her hip, "stay safe. We haven't exactly had the best times here in recent dates."

Zoë looked up into the eyes of her husband, giving him a crooked smile in an attempt to soothe him from his constant worries. She gave a tug of his chin, placing a kiss to his lips, she gave a soft chuckle, "Don't think about it so much. 'Sides, someone needs to keep the Captain's back safe from Jayne."

"Well, who's gonna keep your back safe?"

"You can when I get back," she smirked.

Wash's brows rose for but a moment before Jayne's crude voice cut in like a rusted knife. "I thought we was headin' out," he grumbled, fingers twitching next to where he kept his gun.

"Jayne's right," Malcom sighed, restraining himself from shaking his head at the scene. Lately, Wash was getting more restless than usual about Zoë heading out on jobs. It was getting to Mal's every last nerve as it was attempting to interfere with their income. He turned right round, looking out into the docks of Persephone with squinted eyes. "Like I said, one hour or-_Jao Gao._"

"Sir?" Zoë stepped beside him with a puzzled brow as to why her commanding chief paused with the most perplexed look on his face.

However, instead of answering his first mate, Malcom turned on his heel, looking to Wash and Book who stood idly, waiting for the man to take the first step forward so they could all begin their separate missions. "Shepherd, Wash, do you see that woman over there?" he asked, sounding a bit on the edge.

"What woman?" Wash exaggeratedly looked over his captain's shoulder outwards with high brows, though his eyes obviously not taking in much as he put on a show.

"That one," was the hissed response as he nudged his head backwards. "The one with the blue hair."

"You mean the one staring straight at us?" Book rose a laughing brow.

Jayne scoffed, "Not very subtle, if you ask me."

"I don't think she's goin' for subtle," Wash murmured in response.

"I don't care what she's goin' for," Mal looked between his men with agitation. "One of you, head over there and look into it."

"What for?"

"I said it's the Shepherd and yours job to get us some travel-folk. See if she's itchin' to travel."

"Wha-But-"

With a sigh, Book shook his head, arms uncrossing as one hand slid into one of his pockets. He didn't hesitate as he made his way forward, where a young woman stood beside a pole.

The woman in question was dark tinted, a shade more-so than Zoë, and her large dark brown eyes were glued to Serenity and her crew. There wasn't much notable about her beside she being a bit on the thin side and her extraordinarily dark shade of turquoise curls, long to her mid-back even when kept up in a ponytail. Her midnight trousers were kept tucked in her eggshell boots. She wore an open tunic the color of sand, and underneath a long-sleeved button-up matching the shade of her hair. A single sack was slung over her shoulder, and she beaming a bright smile.

"Hello, miss," Book returned her smile with one of his own. "I can't help but notice that you're staring at my ship."

"_You're _the captain of this piece of _go shi_?" she laughed, adjusting the bag on her shoulder while a hand slid into her back pocket.

"Oh no," the preacher gave his own chuckle as he kicked at the dirt and shook his head. "I'm just a shepherd who resides on Serenity, our ship. That man over there," he gestured over his shoulder towards Malcom who still had his back facing where the two stood, "is the captain."

With a crooked smile, the young woman waved over at the unusually stationary group. Wash waving back until he received a look from his wife that made him flinch slightly. "So, why is it that the captain of such a…well to do ship…sends a preacher to talk to a possible client?"

Raising a brow, Book inquired, "Are you looking for transport?"

She nodded, "I told myself that no matter what, the next ship to dock right where you did was going to be my ride out of here."

"Oh, really?" he looked back over to the rest of the crew, all waiting impatiently with crossed arms of anxiety. "Excuse me, Captain!" he called out, and Malcom turned around quickly, trying to keep a straight face. "Could you join us for a minute?"

Book could see the tensing in Serenity's captain's jaw as he grumbled something under his breath before straightening his back and walking over. It seemed as though both the preacher's smile and the young woman's grew just a tad much as he joined them, hands about his waist as he gave a small polite smile in greeting. "Hello, there," he nodded in gesture.

"Why, Captain, it appears you think of me as some _Wei Shian Dohn Woo_," the blue-haired being cocked her head to the side with a chuckle.

"What?" he faked a laugh. "I would never! Not a reason to!"

"Shiny!" she held out her hand. "My name is Vamira Evim, and I wish to board your ship in safe passage."

"Is that so?" Mal looked at her hand for a moment before taking it and shaking it once. "My name's Malcom Reynolds. I have to warn you, we may not be goin' in the direction you're wantin'."

"Captain, I'll be clear. I'm more in a hurry to get off this _Yi Da Dwei Bun Chou Roh_ than I am to get to my destination."

He chuckled, "And, where are you headin' anyway?"

"I plan to eventually find my way to Sihnon."

"_Sihnon_?" Mal looked to Book who only shrugged. "My dear, we don't head over there very much."

"I'll pay you."

"I mean it when I say there won't be enough-"

"How much? 30?"

Malcom snorted, "It's-"

"60."

A brown brow rose. He inhaled. Thinking on it a bit. He met her dark eyes, then looked up into the sky. He exhaled, "All right. I'm here to look up on somethin'. Dependin' on how long it'll take me, I'll give you the estimate of your drop-off time. It could even take us a few months."

"I mean it when I say I don't mind, Captain," she smiled before extending her hand once again. "Deal?"

Creating a pause for dramatic effect, it was but a few minutes before Malcom shook her hand once more, "Deal." He gestured to Serenity. "Now, head on in. There'll be a few members of my crew inside waitin' for ya, and they'll set you all up."

"Thanks, Captain," she beamed, gripping tightly onto her bag before nodding in thanks towards Book and then rushing over to where Zoë, Wash, and Jayne stood, all seeming a bit surprised until she started to explain the situation and introducing herself.

"Now, tell me, Captain Reynolds, as to why you wanted _me_ to be the one to talk to just a simple young woman?" the preacher was trying not to grin at how strange the situation all was.

Crossing his arms, the ex-browncoat was examining the scene as Wash took Vamira into the bay, seeming to call Kaylee out to show her around. "When someone stares that intently at my ship, you don't think I'm gonna think they're part of the Alliance?"

"She doesn't even look the part of someone in the government."

"Neither did that last one that snuck on with you and the doctor," Malcom replied, a bit bitter in his response as he stepped away, calling out to his crew. "All right! Zoë, Jayne, let's head out! Wash, you git goin' with the shepherd." At this point, in the far dark corner of Malcom Reynolds' mind, only the hope that not even one more delay in the day popped up. However, the man's gut was telling him not to even bother.

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**To Be Continued...!**

**Thank you for reading!**

**~LovingNinja~**


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